Finance FAQs

How are the rates set on the utility bill? Will they increase?

The Environment and Engineering Department sets the rates through bylaws, and they are based upon the operational costs of the utility. In most cases, operational costs of the utility are paid from the user rates. An exception to this would be a brand new water system with few connected users.

How often will I get a utility bill?

Properties within local water service areas in the CSRD are billed annually for water use. Invoices are mailed by late February and are eligible for a 10% discount if payment is received by the CSRD on or before the discount deadline of April 30.

I am moving (selling the home). What do I do with my utility bill?

It is a good idea to contact our office to notify us of the possession date of the new owner to ensure the account information is changed over correctly. You do not need to pay a portion of the bill for the billing period that you occupy the dwelling, as your lawyer or notary as part of the conveyance will cover this on your statement of adjustment.

I am the property owner, but I want my utility bill to go to my renter. How do I do this?

It is the policy of the Regional District that the utility bill will be sent to the registered owner of the property. In order to redirect the bill c/o a renter, tenant, property manager, or other, we must have that request in writing from the registered owner. This is because if there is an outstanding balance on the utility bill as of December 31st then that amount will be transferred to property taxes and is the responsibility of the registered owner.

I have submitted an invoice to the Regional District for payment. When will I get paid?

Our Accounts Payable department needs 10-15 business days to process an approved invoice. An approved invoice is one that displays an authorized Regional District purchase order number or contract number. If there is no purchase order listed on the invoice or if further authorization is required, then it needs to be sent to the appropriate department for approval, which will delay the process.

Please contact the accounts payable department at finance@csrd.bc.ca to obtain a direct deposit form which may increase the timeliness of your payment.

I just bought a property in the Regional District and the first utility bill I received shows arrears from before I bought the property. Who is responsible for paying these arrears?

It is the responsibility of the lawyer or notary handling the transfer of ownership to ensure that a search is done through the Regional District to determine if there are any outstanding utility charges on a property and include those charges on the statement of adjustments. This is required to be sure that there are no outstanding debts or encumbrances attached to the property upon transfer of ownership.

I live in Anglemont and am not connected to water, why is there a charge for water on my property tax notice?

The parcel tax for the Anglemont Water was approved in 2012. After an exhaustive public consultation process which included letters being sent to every registered owner of property within the Anglemont Water Service Area, a referendum was held in the spring of 2012 asking eligible voters if they were in favour of the CSRD taking over the Anglemont Water System AND whether they were in favour of incurring debt up to $9.8 million dollars to upgrade the water system to provide steady, consistent, potable water to be available to all 1300 lots in the service area. The system had been in a state of disrepair for many years and would not have been "water ready" for many of the vacant lots as it did not have the capacity to service those properties. The result of this referendum was a resounding number of eligible voters in favor of both propositions and therefore the CSRD took over the water system in July of 2012. Following the takeover date, construction started on the upgrade in the fall of 2012. The parcel tax is applied to all lots, including strata lots, within that service area regardless of whether or not there are homes on the lot to fund construction, related debt and further infrastructure upgrades. The debt is being amortized over 25 years with debt amortization being only one component of the parcel tax.

I pay for water on my utility bill, why am I also charged on my property tax?

The items that appear on your property tax notice regarding water are generally for capital costs, debt and contributions to reserves for future infrastructure upgrading or expansion, with a limited exception to a brand new water system with limited connected users. For those systems, parcel taxes are required for operating expenses.

What happens to unpaid amounts on my utility bill at December 31st?

If there are any outstanding amounts on the utility bill as of December 31st, then that amount will be transferred to property taxes. Since the Regional District cannot issue the Property Tax notices, we also cannot collect payments for them. For payment information please go to the Ministry of Provincial Revenue-Taxation Branch website.

What is the mill rate on my property taxes?

The CSRD is not a taxing authority under the Local Government Act and does not generate property tax notices, therefore we cannot provide information on mill rates as we only have data pertinent to CSRD services. For information on mill rates, contact the Surveyor of Taxes.